Firefighter rolls truck on way to Montegut parade

Published: Tuesday, February 27, 2001 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, February 26, 2001 at 11:00 p.m.

MONTEGUT - A volunteer firefighter, who told officials he was startled by a flash of lightning while en route to a Mardi Gras parade, flipped the fire truck he was driving Sunday morning.

The 1989 red GMC fire truck sustained about $20,000 damage in the crash after it made one complete revolution and landed upright on all four wheels, said Montegut Fire Chief Spencer Rhodes.

Volunteer firefighter Daniel Lapeyrouse, 19, of Montegut, was reportedly driving north on La. 665 shortly before 10:30 a.m. Sunday when the wreck happened, according to State Police.

Lapeyrouse, who was cited for careless operation, was at mile marker 4.9 when he ran off the road to the right, rolled the truck and landed at the edge of Bayou Pointe-aux-Chenes, said Troop C spokesman Matt Trahan.

A wrecker towed the damaged truck away.

"I was right behind him when it happened, and it was something to witness," Rhodes said.

Rhodes said the truck, the volunteer station's No. 4 engine, was on its way to Montegut where it was supposed to be part of the Sunday afternoon children's parade procession.

"(Lapeyrouse) claimed that lightning struck and it made a popping sound in the radio," Rhodes said. "He looked down to see what made the sound and when he looked back up, he was in the curve and that was it."

Lapeyrouse, the vehicle's sole occupant, wasn't injured in the wreck.

State Police classified the damage to the vehicle as moderate, but Rhodes said the final dollar amount is likely to be close to $20,000.

"The damage to the truck hasn't been determined, but everybody who has looked at it so far seems to think it's fixable," he explained.

Rhodes said he expects to have a damage estimate from the repair shop later this week.

In the meantime, Fire Department officials aren't sure what, if any, action will be taken against Lapeyrouse.

"It's under investigation," Rhodes said.

Sunday's incident wasn't the first time a Montegut fire truck was damaged in a crash, Rhodes said.

Another truck sustained about $1,000 in damage after it was hit by a car while backing into the station in 1990. Neither driver was cited in that incident, Rhodes said.

<p>MONTEGUT - A volunteer firefighter, who told officials he was startled by a flash of lightning while en route to a Mardi Gras parade, flipped the fire truck he was driving Sunday morning.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>The 1989 red GMC fire truck sustained about $20,000 damage in the crash after it made one complete revolution and landed upright on all four wheels, said Montegut Fire Chief Spencer Rhodes.</p><p>Volunteer firefighter Daniel Lapeyrouse, 19, of Montegut, was reportedly driving north on La. 665 shortly before 10:30 a.m. Sunday when the wreck happened, according to State Police.</p><p>Lapeyrouse, who was cited for careless operation, was at mile marker 4.9 when he ran off the road to the right, rolled the truck and landed at the edge of Bayou Pointe-aux-Chenes, said Troop C spokesman Matt Trahan.</p><p>A wrecker towed the damaged truck away.</p><p>"I was right behind him when it happened, and it was something to witness," Rhodes said.</p><p>Rhodes said the truck, the volunteer station's No. 4 engine, was on its way to Montegut where it was supposed to be part of the Sunday afternoon children's parade procession.</p><p>"(Lapeyrouse) claimed that lightning struck and it made a popping sound in the radio," Rhodes said. "He looked down to see what made the sound and when he looked back up, he was in the curve and that was it."</p><p>Lapeyrouse, the vehicle's sole occupant, wasn't injured in the wreck.</p><p>State Police classified the damage to the vehicle as moderate, but Rhodes said the final dollar amount is likely to be close to $20,000.</p><p>"The damage to the truck hasn't been determined, but everybody who has looked at it so far seems to think it's fixable," he explained.</p><p>Rhodes said he expects to have a damage estimate from the repair shop later this week.</p><p>In the meantime, Fire Department officials aren't sure what, if any, action will be taken against Lapeyrouse.</p><p>"It's under investigation," Rhodes said.</p><p>Sunday's incident wasn't the first time a Montegut fire truck was damaged in a crash, Rhodes said.</p><p>Another truck sustained about $1,000 in damage after it was hit by a car while backing into the station in 1990. Neither driver was cited in that incident, Rhodes said.</p>